A World Torn Asunder
by HisAsgardianAngel
Summary: Garrus Vakarian is fighting hard to maintain his relationship with Commander Shepard in a post-destroy-ending world. Riddled with PTSD, Shepard needs a little extra TLC which her Turian love interest is more than happy to give to her...especially since there may be a chance for the couple to naturally conceive a child.
1. Chapter 1

Jillian Shepard paced back and forth outside the med-bay for what must have been hours. She could hear her heart thumping in her ears…this couldn't be happening. Jillian Alexis Shepard, angel of death…that is what her rank should have been, not commander, not N7. Everyone she came to love seemed marked with a death sentence. Her parents, her sister, Nihlus…and now Garrus lay in critical condition, having taken a rocket to the face on Omega. The prognosis was grave.

A lot had happened since Nihlus had fallen on Virmire. They had defeated Saren and Sovereign…saved the Destiny Ascension…and Garrus had been so good to her. He was already her best friend…but those months after Nihlus passed he'd been by her side almost every waking moment. Her rock, her closest confidant…and then the collectors ripped through the SR-1 like it was a sheet of tissue paper. Jillian had fought hard to get everyone on board to safety, and the price was her life. She gladly died—asphyxiated in her own armor—completely spaced for the people she loved. A fitting and noble end for the great Commander Shepard—savior of the Citadel. Only it wasn't. She didn't get the ending she wanted. Cerberus had pieced her back together and here she was…alive and putting good, innocent people in harm's way. What else was new?

She needed Garrus to pull through, this wasn't like it had been with Nihlus. She _knew_ she couldn't go on without Garrus. And that was when it hit her. As much as she had adored her sweet Nihlus…why hadn't she seen that it was always Garrus? Always would be Garrus? Even before Nihlus had passed Garrus was the one she always consulted before big decisions, always told her secrets and her fears to, always the one she secretly agonized over during missions—making herself sick over his safety. She was as in love with him as he was with her and now it could be too late.

Their relationship had always appeared so professional to everyone else on the Normandy…but Joker had admitted to her only a few short hours before, when they first rushed Garrus into surgery—that that image had completely crumbled at her funeral two years prior. Garrus had been known for his 'second in command' type relationship with Shepard, and had been asked to eulogize her. Joker said every Turian in the room almost had to leave—that they'd described his subharmonics as being unbearable, broken, and madly in love. It made Jillian sick to her stomach to imagine the kind of pain he must have been feeling.

He disappeared right after the funeral and no one heard from him again until Shepard, Miranda, and Zaeed had found him taking out mercs on Omega under the vigilante codename 'Archangel'. Joker had laughed it off, remarking that Garrus had finally removed the stick from his ass and started beating people to death with it—but Jillian didn't think it was funny at all. What had her death done to him? This was a man who had fallen in love with his commanding officer, a woman he idolized—and then was forced to internalize that passion out of both respect for her and for her lover, who was a Turian of greater importance in the hierarchy than him. He suffered beautifully, being the kind of companion he knew she needed instead of the one he wanted to be…and then boom—right before his eyes the one person he thought truly understood him in the whole damn galaxy gave her life for his. For all of them. Of course, he was emotionally destroyed, she would have been too. She was torn from these thoughts as she heard Jacob clear his throat from near the elevator. She wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks before he could see and turned to give him a sharp glare.

"What?" She didn't mean to be an ass to her new crew member, but they hadn't been on the SR-2 for very long and he'd already come on to her just about every time she went to see him. He reminded her too much of Liara. Jacob flinched slightly at the severity of her tone.

"I need to see you in the com room, Commander." Jillian shook her head wildly.

"No, absolutely not. Not until I get news about Garrus." Jacob sighed.

"The Turian is _why_ I need to see you, Shep." She almost scoffed in disgust, her name was Commander or Shepard to him, not Shep and certainly not 'Jill', as he'd quickly learned not to call her after what Miranda was calling the 'engineering incident of 2185" (Shepard had offered Engineer Donnelly 20 credits to help her program a string of profanities to voice over the coms any time Jacob attempted to use her first name. The Illusive Man was not amused'). She decided to not be difficult, too worried about Garrus to do much other than begrudgingly follow Jacob into the elevator. An awkward silence ensued as the lift took its sweet time going only one floor above them. Shepard marched into the com room and stood by the FTL, half expecting EDI to give her some sort of status report on her friend's health. That didn't seem to be the case as the door closed behind Jacob. _Oh, great_ …Jillian thought to herself slowly, wondering what he could possibly want regarding Garrus,

"So…Archangel. He'll be a great asset to the team Shepard, good work." Jillian nodded at him professionally, a short and concise 'thank you' of sorts, though she knew the conversation wasn't going to end there, she could see it in his eyes.

"I don't like to rush these kind of talks, Commander." He started, causing Shepard to raise an eyebrow incredulously at him. _Oh, really, Jacob? Why don't we ask EDI if that's true, I'm sure she's heard it all,_ she thought.

"However, I have to ask. I've heard things from the other crew members…and read some things in your files. Word seems to be that you don't remember what color your blood is…that you only date Turian's. Is that true?" The only member of the crew so far that had been part of the original team (besides Garrus) was Joker…damn him and his big mouth.

"I don't see how that is any of your business, Mr. Taylor." Jacob laughed.

"I thought you might say that. You're a bit of a hard ass, Shepard. Everyone acts like you try to be best friends with the crew, but that's not been the case on the new Normandy. You trying to play hard to get or do you really not trust Cerberus that much?" Shepard sighed. She really didn't have time for Jacob and his bullshit. She was in the middle of forming a response to that when the doors swung open and Jillian's breath was knocked out of her so quick you'd have thought she'd just received a biotic kick to the gut.

"I didn't expect you to be up so quickly, you really are a fighter, huh?" Jacob marveled with a chuckle, folding his arms and following Shepard's awestricken gaze toward the silhouette standing before them. Those grey eyes…those long, sturdy mandibles…that beautiful face. There he was, her Garrus, standing before her proud as ever despite the new scar that now marred the right half of his face. There was a thick gauze around his right mandible, but that didn't stop him from beaming at her.

"They wouldn't let me see a mirror, how bad is it?" Her heart nearly burst, her skin prickling at the very sound of his raspy voice, though she held herself together long enough to manage a weak laugh.

"Hell, you've always been ugly, Garrus. Just slap some paint over it and no one will know the difference." His laugh gave her life, though it broke her heart to hear him choke it back a bit in physical pain.

"I hear some women have a thing for men with scars…those women are usually Krogan but…" He trailed off, giving Shepard a meaningful look, his eyes widening in surprise as she visibly returned it. His throat tightened with hope, damning the fact that humans couldn't be read by subharmonics. Was she interested in him the same way he was interested in her? Was that even possible. The Turian smiled again, or as much of a smile as a Turian is capable of giving…and this was the image that was swirling around in Jillian's head as she lay unconscious and strapped in a lonely hospital bed.

Jillian Shepard had been in a coma for eight months following the destruction of the Reapers via the Crucible. Rescued by a Turian warship fleeing the initial blast, she had been kept alive on a ventilator for several months. It was only recently that she'd been capable of breathing on her own, one such breath being the whispered word "Garrus." It was the first and only sign of real life that had come from the Commander since the Turian's had brought her on board. The crewmen of the Normandy were famous galaxy wide now, and everyone knew exactly which Garrus that needed to be contacted. The Garrus that had taken Shepard up to the Presidium of the Citadel and declared his love, the Garrus who showed up on the arm of the Commander to a high-profile party and danced the night away with her, the Garrus who tangoed with her in a shady night club and ran straight through hell to help the love of his life take down the Reapers. Garrus Vakarian. They sent word to the Normandy and prayed it was received, though little was known of how much could actually be done. The destruction of the Reapers had severely damaged the Mass Relays…even if the Normandy had intercepted their distress call, there was no way of knowing if they had any way of returning for her.

Meanwhile, the Normandy had indeed received the message, and a certain Turian was busting his ass to get the love of his life back. He had just known she was alive, he could feel it. There was a reason he'd refused to hang her name on the wall memorializing the dead, and now that his suspicion had been confirmed nothing was going to get in his way. His Jillian was out there somewhere, and she was sick, hurting, possibly dying. He was going to save her, and he'd been working with the alliance navy for many long, hard months in order to do it. Three years and counting and she'd never once given up on him, he wasn't about to give up on her now.

"Admiral Hackett, tell me it's ready. The longer she waits the higher the chance is that I lose her. I need to get her in the Normandy's med bay immediately." Hackett sighed, Garrus had been singing this same old song and dance for so long that it was beginning to make his eyes cross. Never would have thought a Turian would ever fight this hard for the love of one human woman, but if it had to be just one he was glad it was Shepard; after all she shit she'd been through she deserved to be happy. He shot Garrus a lopsided smile.

"I think I'm about to make your day." Garrus didn't wait for an explanation, shaking Hackett's hand firmly and slinging a bag full of Jillian's belongings over his shoulder. Vakarian marched off toward one of the only working alliance vessels and threw a sniper rifle in the lot just in case, hardly waiting for the okay before he shot off toward the mass relay like a bat out of hell.

As for the Turian warship, it was run by a Captain Ganins who was working his way hopefully back to Palaven, the Turian homeworld. He had his best doctor, a female Turian by the name of Alvera watching over Jillian. Alvera's notes were detailed, and today she was pretty hopeful that the Commander might finally open her eyes. She was seeing a lot more brain activity than normal, though it was disheartening that she couldn't seem to do anything to aid said stimulation. She was working diligently on some complicated brain scans when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Dr. Ranklier, we have an alliance ship dispatching a signal nearby, requesting to land. I think we finally got through to them." Alvera's heart leapt into her throat. This might just be her best chance at waking Shepard up. The doctor rushed from the room, eager to meet the man that was ranked so highly in the great Commander Shepard's life, though her first impression would not be as warm and welcoming as she might have liked. The moment Garrus was on board he brushed passed her quickly, practically knocking her over as he barreled toward Jillian's bedside. He stood and looked at her in silence for a long moment, unsure of what to do next. She looked so fragile…he never remembered her being so pale. Her favorite pink make-up was long wiped from her face, her long blonde hair unkempt and spilling over the sides of the bed. She looked like…death. He reached very slowly for her hand and clutched it tightly, it was cold.

"Mr. Vakarian?" Alvera asked evenly, watching curiously as so many different emotions washed over the other Turian. Garrus didn't respond, kneeling at his girlfriend's side and pulling her hand to his face to kiss it softly. Nothing.

"How long will she be like this?" He finally asked, his eyes frozen on her like icy grey pools. Alvera shrugged.

"She's been like this since we found her. I was hopeful that today things might change, her brain activity is off the charts, but I don't seem to be able to—" Garrus cut her off, having heard all he needed to hear.

"Jillibean…come on, open your eyes for me. I know you can do it." Shepard had been weird about being called Jill, after all it was the name that Nihlus called her most often. Garrus had quickly improvised with something cuter, though he'd usually only dare use the term of endearment privately. Hoping it would spark something, he whispered the nickname one more time, running a talon through her pale locks and watching her intently as she breathed. Her hand twitched ever so slightly, and encouraged hum coming from Vakarian. He thought for a few moments, nervously clearing his throat as he felt Alvera's eyes on him. The pressure was on to make this work.

"Shepard, honey, if you don't talk to me I'm going to have to leave. You don't want that, do you?" Of course, Garrus had no intention of going anywhere, he'd stay by her side for another year if he had to, but if he knew anything about Shepard it was that she hated goodbyes. When he got no reaction, he bent down to kiss her very gently on the mouth, uttering a parting phrase against the delicate duvet of her lips before pretending to walk away. Garrus was a little discouraged when nothing happened, about to resign himself to taking a seat in the floor near her bed when all of a sudden her eyes fluttered. Garrus immediately clamored to help her, holding her head in his hands as those beautiful lavender eyes of hers finally started to open.

"Shepard? I'm going to help you sit up, alright?" Jillian groaned groggily and looked around in bewilderment, as if she were seeing for the very first time.

"G-Garrus?" The Turian shushed her gently, helping her sit all the way up as Alvera went to remove Shepard's IV's. She was dead quiet for a few moments before all of a sudden she flew into a panic.

"What happened? What about the Reapers? Are they gone? Did we…did we win? I…you…your face, I was so scared…scared you wouldn't wake up after Omega." Garrus's heart stopped for a beat, fear creeping up his veins as he realized she might be experiencing amnesia.

"Omega? Jillian…is that the last thing you remember?" He gripped her hand harder, panic beginning to set in when she didn't respond right away. What if she didn't remember them being together? Didn't remember them being in love? She blinked a few times, attempting to sort out dream from reality.

"No…I…. your face, it's healed now. We saved you, you're safe, I made sure you were safe. Safe from mercs, safe from Collectors…from Reapers." Garrus swallowed hard.

"Do you remember the last thing I said to you before the final mission?" Jillian smiled broadly, seeming to regain a little of her personality as she reached to very gently caress the side of Garrus's face where the scar was.

"You told me you loved me." Garrus nuzzled into her touch with a relieved sigh and leaned in for another kiss, which Shepard happily leaned into. Garrus pulled the hair tie from Shepard's wrist and very carefully pulled her hair back into the bun that was always planted firmly atop her head. He'd watched her do her hair many times on the Normandy, and something about it being loose and tangled just wasn't right.

"There, all better?" He asked sweetly, watching as her face brightened. She was remembering more and more; he could see the old Jillian shining through. Before long she shot into his arms, hold him tightly as an airy laugh rung out from within her.

"I'm so glad you made it." She whispered. "I thought I'd never see you again." Garrus chuckled and shrugged it off with typical Vakarian banter.

"You know I'm not easy to kill, Jillian. And we can be damn well sure that you're going to live forever with as many times as you've come back to me from the dead." She laughed.

"I can't die before we have that human-turian baby you promised me." She was kidding, he knew, but there was a slight flicker of something that coursed through him when she said it, some unnamed emotion that gnawed at a small corner of his heart. He hadn't been kidding when he had proposed that kind of life to her, it was what he wanted. He lay his forehead against hers gently and sighed.

"We gotta get you home first. Come on, I have your things." And with that, he helped the Commander to her feet and walked her back to the shuttle carefully, his eyes devouring her every move. He was going to keep her safe this time, not the other way around, and if they had to spend the rest of their lives stuck on the Normandy that was okay. He didn't care about getting back to any homeworld or fixing all the relays. All he wanted was right here with him, and he'd be damned if he was losing her a third time.


	2. Chapter 2

Jillian lay in the med bay for what seemed like hours. Garrus was having Dr. Chakwas run every test imaginable to make sure she was going to be okay, which she appreciated, but now all she wanted to do was spend time with the man she loved. Little did she know that a few of these tests she was being subjected to were not simply to attest to her health. Garrus was having a private conversation with the good doctor just out of earshot, pouring over what appeared to be a medical journal/assessment. The Turian's mandibles flexed nervously as he spoke to Chakwas in a hushed whisper.

"He left these to us before he died? Why didn't be just—"

"Mordin didn't want to tell you in person. He was expecting old age to catch up with him soon…he'd wanted to surprise her." Garrus nodded in a weird sort of solemn excitement.

"Did her tests bear anything of significance?" Dr. Chakwas shrugged.

"Garrus she's human…there's only so much I can tell you. Her reproductive organs are strong, healthy. But that doesn't mean they'd be able to carry a Turian child. What you're asking is…"

"Impossible." He breathed dejectedly, looking down at Mordin's notes with a sigh. Chakwas shook her head.

"I didn't say that. Professor Solus's notes indicate that it may very well be possible—we just have to handle it very delicately. If you both decide this is something you want to pursue…it's going to be a lot of work and dedication." Garrus looked from the data pad to where Jillian was laying on the examining table. She smiled brightly at him as their eyes met, offering him all the reassurance he could ever need.

"I'll do it for her. Just tell me what I need to do." A little while passed before Garrus finally came to tell Shepard they were done, lacing their fingers together as he led her toward the elevator.

"Can we talk privately in your room?" Shepard rolled her eyes.

"It's pretty much your room too, Garrus." True enough, he didn't argue. He pushed the proper lift button to the Commander's cabin and waited as they were transported to the fifth floor of the Normandy. Shepard's eyebrows rose in surprise as the doors to her quarters opened wide.

"You've been feeding my fish!" Garrus laughed.

"Of course, and Kevin too. I know how much you enjoy your animals." He said, gesturing briefly toward the space hamster as he tugged Jillian onto the edge of the bed with him. She giggled lightly and squeezed his fingers.

"Were my medical results that bad? You look so serious." Garrus shook his head, but his demeanor didn't change.

"Shepard…when I asked if you wanted to find out what a human-Turian baby looked like, did you mean what you said? That you wanted to try?" This caught the Commander off guard.

"Garrus where is this coming from? You know how much I love you, if it were possible for me to give you a child I would, but—" Garrus held a talon to her lips gently, a stupid smile finally brightening up his face.

"Look." He pulled up the log he'd been discussing with Dr. Chakwas earlier and laid it delicately in her lap for her to read.

"The cybernetics Cerberus used to bring you back made your body more adaptive to foreign fluids and objects, which was necessary for your body to not reject the implants. Mordin seemed to think that this could mean if you started taking female Turian hormone supplements that maybe we could…"

"…have a baby…" Shepard finished in astonishment, Garrus nodding cautiously, trying not to get his hopes up as he gauged the different emotions flooding the Commander.

"The only thing that puts me off is that dextro amino acids could make you very ill—" She cut him off with a sweet, chaste kiss, her tongue slipping lovingly into his mouth as she closed the distance between their bodies.

"I don't care. Garrus I want this."

"Really?" Jill grinned.

"The war is over…this could be our chance to finally be happy." Garrus kissed her hard, holding her against him tightly, as if he'd never get to hold her again. Their mouths danced together for several moments before he pulled back slightly to plant a tender kiss to her forehead.

"Then…we should…I want to…" Garrus took a deep breath and tried again. "Will you…if you want to…" He just couldn't get it out, surprise filling Jillian's eyes as she realized why he was being so awkward.

"Are you asking what I think you're asking, Garrus?" He took both her hands in his own and sighed again.

"I can't lose you again. I won't. If you go, I go too, no Shepard without Vakarian. I mean it, Jillian, I—I don't want to be here without you. Ever. Say you'll marry me?" He asked quietly, insecurely even. Jillian very gently rest her forehead against his and reached to softly caress the side of his face.

"Yes." That was all she said, an impassioned whisper, yet it was more than enough to completely wreck the Turian with a sea of emotion. He didn't respond—he didn't have to—he simply held her there, never wanting to let her go as long as he should live. After a few long moments, he broke the silence to chuckle to himself.

"I don't mean to ruin the mood but…how are human weddings compared to ours?" Jillian laughed and rested her head against his chest as they lay back on the bed.

"We'll figure it out, I promise." He seemed to think about it for a while longer.

"I'm sure I can watch some vids." Jillian snickered.

"Is that all you do, Vakarian? Your extranet history is going to think you do nothing but study human customs and sex." She took a brief pause, only to play lovingly with the side of his fringe closest to her.

"How about I do the research this time? We could have a nice Turian wedding." Garrus hummed thoughtfully.

"Wouldn't be difficult, Turian weddings are very military. Two people in their finest armor, only their immediate families and possibly their commanding officers attend. It's a very intimate union of clans. Very reserved. There is also a homage paid to the Spirits, a hand fasting or bloodletting of sorts; where the couples hands are cut and bound symbolically. But we couldn't mix our blood…"

"I would want to…I want to be close to you like that." Jillian protested, earning a scoff from her fiancée.

"Well I want my bride to make it to the honeymoon alive. Besides, we don't need a hand fasting to have a connection, I'm connected to you by loving you, Shepard. That's what matters." Shepard smiled, snuggling up to her counterpart, more than pleased by his admission.

"Turian weddings seem nice. Humans make a spectacle of it—big white dresses and alcohol and cake…it's wild." Garrus snorted.

"Humans showing off? Imagine that." Jillian laughed.

"Right? I imagine a traditional human wedding would be hard to pull off right now. We are kind of stuck on the Normandy for the foreseeable future, aren't we?" Garrus sighed.

"Until we can find a place to dock, yeah. The alliance is working hard to fix the mass relays, but they can't do it on their own." Jillian nodded with the sort of fire and conviction in her eyes that made her such a great leader.

"We should help." Garrus agreed, though he didn't want to admit quite yet just how long he'd worked on the relays to recover her from that Turian cruiser. He'd been so desperate. If they could just get back to the Citadel, he thought, he'd have the resources to make things work for them. Even if he had to take his horrible job back at C-sec, he'd do it if it meant having even a shred of a life with her. He was done saving the galaxy and being a rouge vigilante. It was passed time to settle down. Shepard herself was tired…tired of being the one person the entirety of the Milky Way relied on to fix its problems. Maybe that was selfish of her, but she didn't want to be a Spectre or a soldier or a savior anymore. She just wanted to be Jillian. Being "Commander Shepard" had taken a toll on her both mentally and physically. She was exhausted. She wanted to retire someplace warm like Garrus had suggested what felt like years ago now. She wanted to be a wife—a mom—things she had been sure during the war weren't part of her future. She fell asleep as she succumbed to these thoughts, warm inside the embrace of her lover.

A few hours later she woke slowly, having had the best sleep she'd gotten since the war began. No dreams of the Star Child came…no Prothean visions—just deep, happy sleep. Her face was nestled delicately into Garrus's chest, smiling at the sound of his steady heartbeat. His strong arms were wrapped protectively around her body, his head resting softly atop her own. He stirred a little, his eyes beginning to open as Jillian fought back a hard laugh.

"Garrus…darling…what is poking me in the side?" He grunted, turning his head from her in embarrassment as she spoke.

"It's…uhm…hmm…" She burst into tearful laughter.

"Did you have a nice dream?" Garrus's initial embarrassment turned coy, a smirk creeping across his expression.

"The best…I was engaged to a beautiful war hero…maybe you've heard of her." Shepard sat up and switched positions, straddling his waist as she reached up to plant a light kiss to his nose.

"Sounds familiar." Her kisses trailed down his face, reaching the base of his neck as he shifted beneath her uncomfortably.

"Shepard…" He whined, an airy plea for his commander to stop playing with him. Garrus hadn't had sex since right before the final battle—neither of them had. Garrus was nothing if not loyal, and Jillian was the only woman in the galaxy for him. Jillian slid her hands down his body, grazing the crotch of his pants just lightly enough to make him squirm. Garrus growled, flipping their positions and rolling on top of her—breathing heavily on her neck in the way he knew drove her wild. His long, sharp teeth grazed her sensitive flesh, a soft moan falling from her pouty lips. Garrus didn't need any more incentive to jerk his pants down. Kissing and nipping down her collar, Garrus carefully slid her brown jumper down, exposing her black lace bra. She didn't wait for him to fiddle with the stupid contraption—tearing at the clasp and discarding the material hastily. He growled in approval, taking one of her nipples very carefully into his mouth. Being extremely cautious with his teeth, his long blue tongue pampered and teased her breasts, heat rushing magnificently down her body. She whimpered his name, laying back and giving herself up to him completely.

"You're so beautiful." He murmured, his talon toying with her other breast as she rolled her hips up against his own. He hissed with pleasure, grey eyes rolling into the back of his head as she worked diligently to wiggle out of the rest of her clothes. His body was so beautiful—her eyes gazing at him hungrily as she pulled his shirt up over his head. She'd never imagined as a girl that she'd ever have a man this amazing…and a Turian one no less. He trailed a talon delicately from her breasts to her sex, teasing her slowly as she rocked against his dick. Garrus was huge…a good nine inches of ribbed blue appendage. Jillian was excited. She'd had sex with him many times before, but she couldn't remember a time when she'd wanted it this badly.

"I love you." She whispered softly against his neck, pressing kisses to it as he very slowly slid his finger into her. She gasped, her hands finding their way to his already straining cock. She grasped it firmly, a thick, strangled moan tearing from Garrus's throat as he finger fucked her gently, mindful of his own sharp claws. Shepard didn't care, grinding down on his hand roughly as her boyfriend stifled a laugh.

"Careful Shepard, can't have buns if we shred the oven." She whined, only furthering the former C-Sec officer's amusement as he removed his fingers and trailed them down her lips—enticing her to lick. Jillian obeyed, tasting herself on his fingers before he ran them through her hair lovingly. She smirked.

"I honestly don't know what to say back to that." She remarked, grabbing him by his shoulders and pushing him back onto the bed, holding him there as she reached to let her hair down. Her long golden locks flopped down into both their faces, a series of laughs pouring from both lovers. Garrus grabbed the tresses and wrapped them dominantly around one hand, guiding her head down to his member while his free hand held her in place lovingly. Jillian pressed a kiss to the tip, her tongue swirling around his slit and collecting the pre-cum she knew damn well she wasn't supposed to be ingesting. Shepard didn't care—she had medicine on hand at all times for dextro related allergies, wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Garrus shivered, groaning deeply as she took in more and more of his cock. Her tongue explored every inch of him as if it was the first time, sucking dutifully away at his pointed head.

"Stop…any more of that and I'll get it in your mouth. I'm not sending my new fiancée to the med bay…not the most romantic way to celebrate." Jillian pouted, but relented, Garrus nibbling sweetly at her bottom lip.

"Don't look at me like that, Jillibean, I think you'll like where I'm about to put it much better." He kissed her thighs as he went down, giving her vagina a nice long lick before lining himself up. Shepard was writhing with anticipation, opening her legs wide to him as he delicately eased himself into her. She gasped loudly at the sudden fullness, sitting back on it as far as was physically possible. In a sudden fit of passion, Garrus lifted her off the bed, her legs tangling around his waist as he slid off the bed and pressed her back roughly against the bedroom wall. It was comfortable for both species to do it standing up—as Mordin had told them what felt like eons ago. Garrus ground into her hard, mind finally letting go of all the emotions and the passion he'd been building since he thought he'd lost her. She moaned loudly, watching with lust-blown eyes as his mouth hovered around her shoulder, as if he was aching to sink his teeth into her flesh. When he resolved to kiss the soft skin there instead she hummed in curiosity.

"Why do you stay your bite? Bite me as if I were a Turian woman." Garrus sighed, continuing to linger around her neck and shoulder as he pounded into her.

"I wish I could. Turian's like to bite and mark our mates…our saliva gives off a certain scent. The mark and the scent combined are a fair warning to other Turians to back the hell up, this one is taken. But Shepard your skin is so delicate…I know I would hurt you." If Jillian didn't want him to bite the fuck out of her before, she sure as hell did now. She liked being bitten…admittingly she'd only been bitten by other humans, but she wasn't going to let her fleshy weakness get in her way, being vulnerable had never stopped her before.

"Okay before I wanted it, now I need it." She whined playfully, bouncing back on his member and nibbling tenderly at his neck. Garrus moaned and chuckled simultaneously before shaking his head.

"First you tell me you want to blood share at our wedding and next you ask me to bite you. You're just begging for us both to die of anaphylaxis, aren't you?" Jillian snickered.

"Well, Collector ship and Reaper attack didn't work…I'm running out of options." She teased, though the joke prodded a bit at Garrus's open wounds. He growled almost possessively, pulling her even tighter against him and thrusting his tongue into her mouth. The kiss was searing, dominant, the kind of kiss that would have made the Commanders panties drop if she were wearing any.

"I won't lose you again." Despite his words, he had already resigned to giving Shepard what she wanted, grabbing her by the hips with one hand and supporting her head and neck with the other. He bounced her up and down on his dick vigorously as he carried her to the bathroom, turning the shower on as hot as it would go and pressing her against the wall again. She meant to give him a questioning look, but couldn't. Her eyes were rolled to the back of her head in pleasure as he rammed into her sweet spot over and over.

"G-Garrus…" She groaned wantonly, pride swelling in the Turian as he went in for the bite. He picked a spot he knew everyone would see, a little soft spot high up on her shoulder enough that the straps of her normal coveralls wouldn't cover it, but low enough that he wouldn't damage or puncture her neck. Armor would cover it, but that was no matter…there was no way in hell they were continuing the good fight after this. Shepard had saved the whole galaxy, they should be allowed to retire. His teeth slid into her slowly, intimately and carefully. Jillian winced in pain, but stopped herself from crying out. She didn't want Garrus to pull away, she wanted to savor the moment. Instead, she moaned at the closeness and ran her fingers lovingly through his fringe. Garrus's mandibles fluttered in excitement against her body, love radiating through him as he pulled away from the wound tenderly. She hadn't shuttered nor flinched, there was no sign of him causing her harm save for the blood that was now becoming diluted and washing away in the shower water, as he'd planned. She'd done nothing but show him affection…she'd enjoyed the marking. It made the Turian far happier than he'd anticipated. When their eyes met again, there seemed to be a spark that flew between them. Their mouths crashed back together, Jillian tasting her own blood on his teeth as his claws dug into her hips, their bodies slamming together harder and faster than ever. Jillian could feel her body trembling, she knew it wouldn't be long.

"I…mmm!" She could no longer form coherent thoughts, her body overloading every sense as Garrus's penis massaged her insides into submission. She came undone, tightening around him as he let out a guttural scream of pleasure, emptying his seed inside of her hard. It filled all of her, cum leaking out the sides of her sex as they finished, holding each other under the scalding pressure of the hot water. The beads washing over Garrus's naked body was almost sexy enough a sight to make Shepard orgasm yet again, panting as they both watched each other intently.

"I love you." She breathed, grabbing onto his arm quickly for support when he sat her back on her feet, her legs still trembling from her climax. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling and nuzzled into her gently.

"I love you too. Now come on, let's go get a bandage for that bite before it gets infected." Jillian was about to respond when they heard Joker interrupt over the loud speaker.

"Um…I swear I wasn't listening, but I have an announcement, Commander. I have Admiral Hackett on the FTL, ma'am, he wants to speak with you. I assume it is about the Mass Relays." Shit. Neither were ready for their moment to end, but it was Shepard's duty until she gave a notice of her resignation to see to the needs of her superiors. Garrus gave her an encouraging nudge and she sighed.

"I'll be right there."


	3. Chapter 3

Garrus poured alcohol onto the open wound on Jillian's shoulder and wrapped it in gauze, the couple dressing quickly to meet with Admiral Hackett over the FTL. Shepard brushed the knots out of her wavy blonde locks and pulled them back into her usual tight professional bun as they exited the elevator and walked to the open comm. There Admiral Hackett's hologram stood clear as day, ready to report to the Normandy's commanding officer. Jillian held her hands respectfully behind her back, per Alliance protocol, and stood at attention beside the man she loved.

"Should have known you'd bring Vakarian along. The Alliance owes him a lot in his dedication to recover your body. He insisted you weren't dead." Jillian nodded at him professionally.

"The only person who owes him is me, Sir. Consider this my formal notice of resignation." Hackett looked disappointed, but he nodded in understanding.

"You've gone well above the call of duty in your time with the Alliance, Commander. We cannot ask you in good conscience to continue fighting our battles for us. You've earned the life you never got to live when we pulled you off of Mindoir during the raids. But right now I'm not asking for your help as a soldier or a spectre. I'm asking for your help as one of the best damn engineers I've met. Now that you're officially ex-military, you're going to need a job to support that future family your Turian friend never shuts up about. Someone has to fix these relays for galactic civilization to continue on normally." Garrus shuffled uncomfortably at Hackett's words, a broad grin spreading across Shepard's face. He was never going to hear the end of that, oh no.

"With all due respect, Sir, I would rather take up a job with Citadel Security. I think my skill set is better suited for VI's and Combat Drones, not reaper tech. Garrus and I have a house already waiting on the Silver Sun Strip, Captain Anderson left it to us sometime in the middle of the war. I was always a better soldier than an engineer, I'd only be in the way. That being said, I do know a Quarian who is ten times the engineer I am, and engineers Donnelly, Adams, and Daniels will also be looking for work. They're very skilled, the Normandy wouldn't function without them, and I'd be happy to send them your way." This shocked Garrus, who turned to look at her in surprise. She'd said just hours earlier that she wanted to help in any way she could to fix the relays. He wondered what could have changed her mind so quickly, not that he wasn't happy to hear it. Jillian had done enough for this screwed up galaxy, it was time to focus on their family.

"I…understand, Commander. Thank you." The FTL ended abruptly afterwards, with a sigh from Jillian, who shook her head slowly.

"I hope one day he can forgive me." Garrus moved to wrap his arms around her waist in comfort.

"You've done more than enough for the Alliance, Jillian. You don't owe them a damn thing. I am curious, though. What changed your mind?" Jillian reached out to delicately thread her fingers between his own, taking a deep breath as she stared meaningfully into his molten grey eyes.

"Garrus I…I know it isn't right. I do want to help build the relays, I just…I want to get away from it all so badly. I don't want to keep testing my luck with death as the only person in this galaxy who seems to be willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Someone younger needs to fill that role. I'm getting so tired. Worn down. All I want is to marry the love of my life, and start our family. I want to be…normal." Garrus chuckled lightly and squeezed her fingers.

"So you're thinking you can get a job at C-Sec while I stay at home and play daddy?" His tone was playful, and a bright grin stretched across her entire face.

"I figured you'd prefer it that way. I know how much you hated C-Sec. Our children would learn more from you raising them at home than they would at any old sitter…they'd have the best father in the whole galaxy there to teach them." Garrus pulled her closer to his body, nuzzling into her neck and humming to himself happily.

"You paint a pretty picture, Shepard. I'm game…if we can get this to work."

"When do I start treatment?" Garrus was quiet for a moment, as if thinking.

"Dr. Chakwas said she could forward Mordin's research to any doctor we chose whenever we finally did settle down somewhere. I'm assuming if we're going to be living on the Citadel we could begin the treatment immediately with Dr. Michel. I trust her." Jillian folded her arms against her chest and scrunched up her nose at her fiancé.

"The woman that gives you Turian Chocolate?"

"Don't be like that, Jillibean. You know good and well I only have eyes for one woman, and she's in my arms right now. Where she belongs." Jillian couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corner of her mouth, kissing the Turian in resignation and tugging on his hand lightly.

Speaking of the Citadel, Shepard wanted to know exactly how long it would take them to get there. The mass relay that they had used to recover her body should have been the same one linking to the Citadel, as it hadn't been moved out of Earth's orbit and back to the Widow Star System yet after the Reaper Invasion. Shepard led Garrus to where Joker sat in the cock pit, though for the first time in all her service she noticed that the Normandy was on autopilot. The helmsman sat working diligently on what looked like EDI's old body. Jillian's heart sank…the hardest thing about destroying the reapers had been the inevitable death of EDI and the Geth.

"Are you alright, Joker?" For the first time since they'd been reunited, he shot her his signature shit-eating grin. He was holding EDI's still shiny chrome body in his arms as if she were a baby, her read resting gently in the crook of his arms.

"I know you did what you had to, Commander. I don't blame you for what happened to her…but I haven't given up either. None of us knew what was going to happen when you activated the Crucible…so I made EDI promise me she'd back up a copy of her consciousness on an OSD for me. I think I'm finally close to being able to fix her." Garrus, who had known this for some time and whole heartedly supported his similar search for the woman he loved, clapped him on the back in solidarity.

"It'll be great to have her on the team again." Joker snorted.

"Yeah says you, I heard what the Commander told Admiral Hackett…you two are preparing to walk off into the sunset together." Shepard smiled bittersweetly.

"That's true. But you know…you've seen the apartment Captain Anderson left us. It's pretty big…you and EDI could walk off into that sunset with us." Joker seemed to think about it for a moment before shaking his head incredulously.

"I worked too hard to get here, Ma'am." Jillian raised an eyebrow.

"And I didn't? I've been working my ass off for this since I was sixteen years old…but that doesn't mean we have to fight until we die. You've more than earned a good retirement." Joker was about to retort, knowing good and well that he wasn't really going to ever be happy letting the Normandy go, but then he thought on it a moment longer. What was the Normandy without the great Commander Shepard?

"Well, Commander, I won't lie. It's not going to be the same not being part of your crew. I'll think about it. I think it's something EDI and I should discuss when she wakes up, it's a decision that affects her too." Shepard nodded in understanding, glancing at the cock pit as she did so. The coordinates were set for the Citadel. Perfect. The Normandy was close to docking, and the couple headed to the top floor of the ship to pack up what little belongings they owned. Garrus watched her intently as she threw her clothes and armor in boxes and packed up her model ships. Her expression was hard to read.

"How are you feeling?" Her eyes were glazed over as if she might cry, but there was a goofy grin spread across her face.

"One of everything. I'm sad to be leaving the crew…this is all I've known for so long, and I've come to love each and every person here. But at the same time, I've never been happier. I'm so ready to start over. To have a new life with you." Garrus snaked his arms around her waist and touched his forehead gently against her own.

"It'll be different than what we are used to, that's for sure. But I'm more than ready to make you my wife." Jillian went in for a kiss, lingering around where Garrus's lips would be if he had any before she pulled back suddenly with a gasp.

"What about my fish?" Garrus burst into laughter.

"You and your damn fish."

About an hour later, the Normandy was preparing to dock. There was a silence permeating the ship, a bittersweet quiet that hung in the air. No one wanted to say goodbye to the greatest commander they had ever known. They were all privileged to have known her, a poor colony girl who very narrowly escaped being sold into slavery during the Raids. Who joined the very military who saved her life after the slaughter of her family and busted her ass to earn her N7 title. First human spectre by 29…savior of not only the Citadel anymore…but now the entire galaxy. She was more than their commanding officer. She was their friend…their family. But now it was time to expand that family, and no one wanted that more for Shepard than her crew did.

Liara, Ashley, Tali, Vega, Joker, they all quietly gathered together to help Shepard and Garrus move their belongings—including the fish—into the apartment on the Silver Sun Strip. Liara's biotics came in handy; more effective than transporting little fish in cups of water. It was a shame Grunt hadn't been onboard to see it, Shepard was sure it would have amused him. Shepard missed the vast majority of her old crew members, but none more than her "little" Grunt. He was like a son to her.

They took the bedroom they'd made love in during the party they'd all had, the big one upstairs. Once everything was out of Shepard's quarters and Liara had secured the aquarium, everyone stood around in the living room and looked at one another. This was it. No one wanted to say goodbye, that much was evident…least of all Joker, who was still mulling over the Commander's words from earlier. He thought for a moment before looking at his watch and piping up happily.

"It's not too late if you guys want to catch a bite to eat. For old time's sake. It has been a while since we've been to the main part of the Citadel, where the embassies are. I think there are some restaurants near C-Sec." Garrus shook his head.

"Not exactly, the restaurants on that part of the Citadel aren't really in plain sight. You have to know where to go. I can find us one, if you'd like, but there is plenty to eat on the strip." Joker snorted and shook his head.

"Uh-uh, I don't think so. Last time I took the Commander to dinner on the strip she used me as bait." Jillian rolled her eyes, though she couldn't contain the chuckle that slipped past her lips as she did so.

"Oh, would you get over that, I did _not_ use you as bait. I had the situation under control." Garrus smirked, exchanging glances with Joker as a sarcastic, though loving, smirk crept across his face.

"Right…which is why you needed me to swoop in and save the day when everything started going sideways." Jillian shrugged sheepishly and hit her fiancé on the chest playfully.

"Hey, despite what half the galaxy thinks I am not perfect. That's what my Turian guardian angel is for." Joker pretended to gag himself while Garrus wrapped a strong arm around Jillian's shoulders.

"Archangel." He corrected proudly, her words no doubt inflating his ego several sizes. Their fingers threaded together tenderly, guiding one another as the group walked to hail a cab that would take them to the Presidium. They'd been to the Presidium a thousand times over the course of their service, and surely it was the same as ever. Only this time, none of them could have fathomed what would be waiting on them when they arrived.

When the diverse group of friends stepped out of that cab and onto the Presidium, Garrus saw something that ran his blood cold. It couldn't be happening…he and Jillian were finally going to be happy, he was finally going to get the girl…and there he was. Standing as strong and healthy looking as he ever had before the incident on Virmire. When Jillian's lavender blue eyes met the piercing green ones she'd adored so many years ago, she felt the whole world stop.

"Nihlus?"


End file.
